PHNOM PENH: The Minister of Interior, Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng, has expressed his concern over deaths caused by traffic accidents, and stated that he wishes for people to receive proper road related education and knowledge from an early age.
Speaking at the meeting to review the work results of 2021 and work direction for 2022 of the Ministry of Interior on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng emphasized the importance of re-enforcing traffic laws thoroughly in order to decrease the number of people who violate the law without proper understanding. He said that restricting the implementation of traffic laws is a key measure to reduce traffic accidents
As the Chairman of the National Committee for Road Safety, Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng urges the relevant stakeholders to continue strengthening cooperation with relevant institutions to increase public awareness of traffic laws. He also called for a review of the inclusion of road traffic laws in school curriculum.
He said, "We should pay attention to traffic education in the entire education system, meaning from the very bottom to the top [...] from kindergarten to high school. This means that children or young people who are students, do not need to spend extra time studying traffic laws, because they would already have more awareness. Our kindergartens have to think about that.”
The Interior Minister further urged all media outlets to help spread the word to raise awareness on this issue, especially making calls to road users to respect the law and protect their lives and property.
Ministry of Education Spokesman, Ros Soveacha, told EAC News that the Ministry would look into the possibility of responding to Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng's recommendations.
He added that the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports is currently cooperating with the relevant ministries, institutions and other stakeholders, such as HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL, particularly through the inter-ministerial commission, in order to strengthen road safety education in schools, which has been included in the curriculum since 2004.
He said, "The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has been cooperating with the Ministry of Interior and HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL to organize road safety education in the curriculum since 2004, in addition to the previously integrated content, The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has prepared a book "Road Safety Education" from grades 1 to 9, which we have published since 2006 and published continuously."
He stated that the Ministry has already integrated the complete traffic curriculum into school textbooks that students are currently studying from grade 1 to grade 6. Meanwhile, secondary schools from 7th to 9th grade still use the supplementary textbook "Road Safety Education" in addition to some of the previously mainstreamed content.
Road safety education for grades 10 to 12 is organized as an "outreach forum" in collaboration with the previously stated parties, using the "Road Safety Education Dissemination Forum". The documents used in the forum include sub-decrees, laws on road traffic, ministry guidelines and other relevant documents.
According to Spokesman Ros Soveacha, the Ministry is currently developing this curriculum into social studies and has issued additional guidelines on strengthening the implementation of road safety education in schools across the country.
According to the 2021 traffic accident report, there were 2,670 traffic accidents, a decrease of 16 percent from the previous year, 1,497 deaths due to traffic accidents, another decreased by 149 people, and 3,615 injuries, which decreased by 1,071 incidents compared to 2020.
